True Love Waits

Believing that true love waits, I make a

commitment to God, myself, my family, my
friends, my future mate, and my future children
to a lifetime of purity including sexual
abstinence from this day until the day I enter a
biblical marriage relationship.
 What is True Love Waits?

True Love Waits has become the most widely covered positive story about teenagers in
.H a a : B a love
waits, I make a commitment to God, myself, my family, my friends, my future mate, and
my future children to be sexually abstinent from this day until the day I enter a biblical
a a a . True Love Waits has a four-fold purpose:

Guide students to make a commitment to sexual abstinence until marriage.

Allow students who have made a commitment to abstinence a chance to reaffirm
that promise and challenge other students to do so.
Guide parents of students to make or reaffirm a commitment to biblical standards
of sexual behavior and model a life committed to sexual purity.
Give the church family a way to affirm and encourage students making a
commitment to sexual abstinence until marriage.

The theme True Love Waits carries significant meaning.

True love for God. Ob G c a a a

love for Him.
True love for friends. Sex before marriage always hurts people. If you care about
your friends and especially the person you are dating, you can choose not to hurt
them through sexual misbehavior.
True love for your future mate. You can make a commitment to that person even
before you know him or her, including a commitment to sexual purity.
True love for your future child. You can begin now to love the child you will
bring into the world. That love includes a desire to see that child born into a
complete, permanent family.
True love for yourself. Your concern for yourself can allow you to choose to
avoid that which leads to guilt, broken relationships, disease, and even death.

True Love Waits is an international campaign designed to challenge teenagers and

college students to remain sexually abstinent until marriage. The campaign was created
and continues to be coordinated by Lifeway. Forty-two other denominations and
Christian student organizations are also actively carrying the True Love Waits challenge
to students.
 Family Worship Plan
(OPTION 1)

I a a a , a c a
one special so that others to follow will be positive. A a c
this worship time, Teenagers will feel important if you consider their schedules.

Bible Passages: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-6; John 10:10; Psalm 139:13-18;

Jeremiah 29:11
Central Truth: Purity G .
Teaching Aim: To lead youth to choose an obedient lifestyle.

INTRODUCTION
Most parents and students are looking for the answer to the granddaddy of all
questions, W a G ? V a b ab G . A , if
c G 100% ? A . Sa , if we
are to be obedient to God then it is important that we be willing to hear what God has to
say about our sexuality.

GOD ILL FO ALL

In 1 Thessal a 4, Pa a G . Ha a
1-6. Pa a G a ab a a a . H
children to understand that that speaks to you as a parent also. Sexual immorality
includes any sexual perversion, premarital sex, and adultery. In 1st Corinthians 6:18,
Paul instructs us to run from immorality. When fire is used for its intended purpose, it is
great, but let a fire get loose in your house and it is destructive. Sex is much the same
way. When it is practic acc G a a , t is beautiful. Practiced outside
G a , ca a ac a c .

REASONS TO ABSTAIN
God want us to stay away from sexual immorality. Immorality includes more
than just actual sexual intercourse. It involves thoughts and actions that are done in
a a . L a a a a a G ab a .

Because He has our best interest at heart.

He knows our thoughts and our attitudes and He knows our weaknesses.
In His desire to bring us happiness, He instructs us to remember that our bodies are not
our own, but have been bought with a price and we are to glorify God with our bodies. (1
Corinthians 6:19, 20) Remember, He is the Creator of all and who better knows the
product than the creator. Psalm 139:13 tells us that before we were born he fashioned us
and knew all about us. He is a God who knows everything there is to know about us and
He says that He wants us to enjoy the abundant life (John 10:10) that provides for and
protects us from unnecessary harm and ruin. He does know best because He created us
and loves us!
 Our Sexual immorality defrauds others.
Ok, so what does it mean to a ? I a to c a . W
c G a a , c a , a ,
friends, our future mate and children and we cheat God. Our culture has done its best to
tell us that they hold the norm of values and behavior for all of society. Paul made
reference to the culture of his day by saying that we are to live ,
a a G G . O c c G
standards and values either. Paul says to live life other than what the culture is trying to
tell you is the norm. When we choose to live life by our own standards, we disobey God.

Because God has big plans for you.

We cannot begin to imagine all that God has in store for our lives, but if
god is involved, you can know that it will be big. Many times we are afraid that God will
pass over us and we will be of no significance. His promise to us is that we will reap His
protection and provision when we are obedient to Him. We must remember that we are
dealing with issues of success that are far diff a a a s. The world
promises the success of big cars, houses and financial gain. While God may have that in
store for you, His promise is of joy and peace even in the midst of some storms in your
life. It is pretty safe to say that Mary, the mother of Jesus, did not know what God had in
store for her life before the angel appeared to her. Her choice to abstain from sexual
immorality was vitally important for our salvation. Because of her choice to remain pure,
God was able to allow her to be a major part of His plan for our redemption. Our
decisions always effect our future and we must be diligent to make that fact a vital part of
our decision making process.

Because God has our best interest at heart.

Jeremiah 23:11 speaks of the plans that He has for us to prosper us and not
harm us. God is definitely on our side and want us to experience the best in life. As the
Creator of sex, He intends for us as humans to enjoy it, but He intends for us to enjoy it
within marriage. That kind of sex is free from shame and guilt that God never intends for
us to experience. He is a God who is concerned for our health and safety. Trust Him at
His word and live in the fullness of His joy.

Conclusion (10 min.)

Present a TLW commitment card to your student. Read it together. Point out that
the commitment is from this day forward. What is in the past is in the past. Be affirming
and encourage your student to sign a commitment card. There is also a place for parents
to sign on the card available from BSBC or Life Way Christian Book store. If you are a
single parent, you can use the existing card and sign one along with your student.

Lead your children in a time of prayer committing themselves to abstain from

sexual immorality and to encourage one another and hold each other accountable.

Family Worship Plan

 (OPTION 2)

P a . I a a a , as
much effort into making this one special so that the idea of another will be a positive one.

Pre-worship Assignment:

A a b a a
time. (Favorite CD, picture of a boyfriend / girlfriend, etc.) Parents bring something
that they love and also pictures or memorabilia from their wedding.
A a c . T a a
you consider their schedules. Arrange to have some time with this worship plan just
in case you go long.
Arrange to have your worship in a place where everyone feels comfortable. If you never
use the formal living room, this might not be the time to start. Find a comfortable,
warm, loving spot where your family gathers naturally.
Obtain copies of the True Love Waits covenant card. (The Christian Sex Education
resources or the book Holding Out for True Love will provide helpful information for
the entire family.)

Begin your worship time with prayer. Let each person explain what they brought to the
worship. Ask: What makes the item you brought special and loved? How do
you know that you love what you brought? (Actions, feeling that surround it, etc.)

Parents show their item(s) and then show their marriage item(s). (The items could
b b a .) S a a G a . (J 3:16) L
a a ca . E a a some
time talking about love that is expressed in a marriage relationship.

Explain as parents, what was the most exciting thing that you looked forward to when
you got married. Ask your child: What is the most excited thing that you look
forward to about being married? What do you want your spouse to be like?
What have you liked about our home/family? What do you want your home to
be like? Enjoy the conversation. Emphasize that God wants hope, love and joy to be
the foundation to making commitments in a marriage.

Ask your teenager to read 1Corinthians 13:4-13. State that God knows just how to create
and grow love. He did that in our marriage. He wants to do that in your marriage (s).

Show (or hand everyone) a copy of the True Love Waits covenant card. Explain that this
card represents an empha a c c ab G a a a
relationship. Read the card. Ask: What do you like best about this covenant?
The actions and attitudes listed demonstrate a purity we read about in 1 Corinthians
13:4-13.
Stress that God does not say no to sex. In fact, He is for sex. Sexual intimacy is one of
the greatest joys in marriage. God instructs us to wait until marriage for sex. The
reason He does is because He wants the best for us. Too many people think that God
is punishing us by commanding us to wait.

As much as possible, explain to your children this basic truth behind the restrictions God
places upon them. Be sure to communicate that both you and God want only what is best
for them.
 HOME WORSHIP EXPERIENCE IDEAS

For Parents Only!

Use the following Scriptures in your personal daily Bible study during the coming week.
We need to hear and apply these passages about being our teenagers instructors:

Monday: Deuteronomy 6:4-6

Other people will teach our teenagers sexual issues; we are the only ones who can ensure
they are taught values to shape their behavior.

Tuesday: Proverbs 4:1-11

Wisdom is supreme and the parent who provides wisdom to his or her children provides
life.

Wednesday: Proverbs 4:20-27

The Bible equips parents with the words to say to instruct their children in the ways of
the Lord.

Thursday: Proverbs 5
Wise parents heed the warnings in Proverbs 5 and model appropriate behavior for their
teenagers.

Friday: Ephesians 6:4

Rear children in the nurture and instruction of the Lord.

Ideas for the Family

There are several ways to teach and instruct in your family worship time.

Use the following Scriptures as a basis for brief family devotional times. Use one passage
for each devotional time. Ask your teenager to read the passage. Make a brief comment
on its importance for life. Ask family members to comment on implications for living a
life of purity. Close with prayer.

Genesis 1:27-28 Proverbs 7

Genesis 2:18-25 1 Corinthians 6:9-20
2 Samuel 13: 1-20 Proverbs 5
1 Corinthians 7:1-9 Proverbs 6:20-35
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
1. Use the True Love Waits commitment as the basis of your family worship time.
Conclude with a challenge to your teenager to make a commitment to sexual purity
which in his or her case is a pledge to remain sexually abstinent until marriage. Join
them by affirming your commitment to sexual purity in your marriage or as a single
parent.

True love for God (Matt. 22:37)

True love for yourself (Matt. 22:39)
True love for family (Eph. 6:1)
True love for friends (John 15:13)
True love for future mate & children
(Eph. 5:33; Ps. 127:3a)

2. Follow the teaching of Deuteronomy 6:7. I e he ( he e c a d e )

your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the
ad, he ie d a d he ge . Take advantage of those
spontaneous moments during the day when your teenager sets the point of discussion.

Discuss lyrics to songs you hear on the radio.

Perform together your own movie and television reviews.
As you ride in the car, evaluate sexual messages in your community (signs,
billboards, the way people dress, the way people act in public, etc.)

D c a a -when he or she brings them up!

E a a a a a c a c . Ma a
aware of good role models and point out why you consider them to be positive.

Talk about current events that have sexual implications. Evaluate the way media
reports them.

3. Follow the teaching of Deuteronomy 6:8. Tie he ( he e c a d e ) a

b ha d a d bi d he f ehead . Encourage your teenager
to wear symbols of faith and commitment to sexual abstinence until marriage. Affirm
elements of their culture such as jewelry, music, and clothing that support biblical
teaching and provide those for your teenager.

4. If your family conducts family meetings, establish a Family Question Box at home
where family members can leave questions. Discuss these during family meetings,
not to embarrass or offend the person asking the question, but to provide a point of
discussion on a sexual issue. Questions may come from experiences with peers,
school sex education courses, something seen on television, or other areas of the
a .